Strand twisting and coiling mechanism



Jan. 26, 1932. R. c. ANGELL STRAND TWISTING AND COILING MECHANISM FiledJan. 7. 1928 Patented dan., 26, i932 erica ROBERT C. ANGELL, OF "PRINCEBAY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE S. S. WHITE DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY,A GORCPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA STRAND TWISTING- AND COILING MECHANISMapplication ala January 7, 192s. serial No. 245,073.

My invention relatesparticularly tothe manufacture of flexible shafts orcables formed of a plurality of wire strands, coiled or wound around acent-ral core,` and is especially directed to mechanism arranged to sohas a considerable variation in different parts of its length, in sizeand other physical characteristics. v For example, the total variationin size frequently amounts to 7% or more of its rated gauge dimensions,(e. g.

to 1': .0005 in a wire of .013, normal diameter). It will be obviousthatirregularities in wire introduce difficulties in the uniform windingof the helical layers of wire bn the core body, and tendto producedifferences in the uniformity, or in the visual appearance of thespacing of successive turns of the helically disposed layers. Thesedifficulties are due: in part to the variations in frictional resistanceto the movement of a wire through the winding mechanism; in part to thechanges in the force required to bend or coil different portions of sucha wire around a central core or underlying bodv: and yin part to thechanges in the force which is required to draw the assembledl core andoverlying through the machine. y

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a flexibleshaft or cable producing machine with means arranged to compensate forany inequalities or irregularities of the. character above mentioned, bysubjecting the shaft to such a force at the region of fabrication as toeffect the laying of the coiled strands on to the core or mandrel inuniformly spaced relation: in such relation that the interproximalseparation, or interelical layer of wire spatial distance between theadjacent or cone tiguous wires of the helically wound layer,

is substantially constant and uniform.

Other objects of my invention are to provide l flexible shaft or cableproducing machine, with drawing-out mechanism having controlling meansconnected to be actuated to vary the amount of force developed by saiddrawing-out mechanism in accordance with any variation of the forcestending to change the progressive movement of said shaft or cable.

Specifically stated, the form of my invention as hereinafter described'comprises a core-spool carrier or pay-out, mechanism, a strand bobbincarrier or winding mechanism for fabricating the shaft or cable bylaying the superimposed strands on the core or mandrel, recoilingor'untwisting mechanism, all rotatable about the longitudinal axis ofthe fabricated shaft or cable, a take-up reel or spooling mechanism, andmeans acting upon said shaft at regions embracing or spanning thefabricating mechanism, arranged to obtain a uniform interproximalspacing of the strands coiled thereon during the progressive `movementof the shaft. rIhis last mentioned `mea-ns comprises a pivoted beam'carrying pulleys about which said shaft is looped, and which relativelyrise and fall in accordance with the variations in the forces actingupon the shaft elements during the process of fabrication; and aconnective mechanism, actuated by this relative rising and fallingmovement, which controls or regulates the draft on pull exerted on thefabricated product by the take up lor spooling mechanism.

My invention also includes all the various novel yfeatures ofconstruction and arrangement as hereinafter more definitely specified.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinalsectional view of a machine constructed in accordance with my invention,certain parts being shown in elevation for convenience of illustration;and `Fig. 2 is a plan view of those parts of the machine which cooperateto apply the force r'that is necessary to effect the desired progressivemovement of the shaft at the region of fabricationv comprising Themachine shown in these figures may preferably be composed of separateunits cooperatively associated and comprising a mandrel-dispensing orcore pay-out carrier 1, the revolvable winding or laying-on mechanism 2,the recoil or untwisting mechanism 3, which is also arranged to rotateabout the longitudinal axis of the shaft being fabricated, the take-upor spooling mechanism 4, and the compensating means comprising theshaft-looping frames- 5 and 6, and the rocking or walking beam 7 whichis cooperatively connected with said take-up or spooling mechanism toeffect the desired progressive movement of said shaft at the region offabrication.

rlhe core-dispensing carrier has the flierframe '9 provided withtrunnions 10 and 11 rotatably mounted in the standards 12 and 13 andhaving the mandrel or core-carrying spool 14, which is mounted to rotatein said flier-frame 9 on the shaft 15 `whose axis extends transverse tothe axis of rotation of said flier-frame 9, and whichis arranged to payout the mandrel or core 16 guided through the hollow trunnion 11.

Rotation of the flier-frame 9 may be effected in any convenient manner,but 1 have chosen to illustrate a simple method which comprises thepulley 17 secured en the trunnion 10, and having varying diametersarranged to be connected bythe belt 19 with a similar stepped pulley 20von the countershaft 21.

The winding mechanism comprises Vthe strand bobbin frame having its endwalls the disks 24 and 25 connected by the spacing bars 26, andrespectively having hollow trunnions 27 and 28 mounted for rotation inthe standards 29 and 30, the trunnion 27 being extended inwardly toforni the Ahollow stud .31 upon which the bobbins 34,

35, 36 and 37 may be rotatably mounted and (removably heldin positionthereon by the disk 39, which is retained on the retaining nut 40.

Said bobbins 34,35, 36 and 37 are-respecthe stud 31 by vtively arrangedto deliver strands 41, 42, 43

and 44 to the strand-winding die 46, suitably mounted inthe disk 25 andhaving therein suitable apertures 47 through which said strands arearranged to pass, and the aperture 48 for the core 16, which is directedthrough the hollow trunnion 27 hollow stud 31 and hollow trunnion 28,and about which said strands 41, 42, 43, and 44 are coiled by therotation of the strand bobbin frame and its die 46. The' strands 41, 42,4.3 and 44 are respectively directed to the die 46 by passingoversuitable guide rollers or pulleys 49, preferably carried by thespacing bars 26, and over the `guide rollers or pulleys 50, which may beconveniently carried b v the disk 39.

The rotation of the strand bobbin frame may be conveniently effected bythe pulley 51 which is mounted on the trunnion 27 and. connected by thedriving-belt 53 with the pulley 54 on the counter-shaft 21, the pulley54 being of much greater' diameter than the pullley 51, so as to rotatethe strand-bobbin frame 7 at a comparatively high and substantiallyconstant rate of speed.

rlhe longitudinal progressive movement of the fabricated shaft or cableand its components is effected by the take-up mechanism, comprising thetake-up reel or spool 55 having its shaft 56 mounted for rotation in thestandards 57 and provided with the pulley 58 connected by the belt 59with the pulley 60 which-'s loosely mounted for rotation on thecountershaft, and provided with friction flanges 61 and 62.

The flanges 62 is arranged to frictionally engage the flange 63 of theflanged collar 65 which is pinned to rotate with the countershaft 2l,and the flange 61 is arranged to be' 46 the twisting or recoil 75,havingthe shaft looped therearound, may be conveniently interposed between thestrand-feeding and ,winding mechanism, and the take-up mechanism, saiddrum 75 being mounted for rotation in the frame 76 which includes thestepped pulley mounted for rotation on the hollow trunnion 28 andconnected to be rotated about the axis of the shaft being fabricated, bythe belt 78, with the stepped pulley 79 on the countershaft 21.

When the recoil frame 76 is revolved in a direction opposite to that inwhich the winding head is rotating, a portion of the fabricated shaftlying between' said recoil'frame 76 and the take-up reel 55, is revolvedin the same direction as that in which the recoil frame is moving. Thisrotation of the frame 76 twists the core'in a direction opposed to thatof the winding of the outer layer, and this results in a definitevpredetermined torsion, per foot of length, in the said core. Therevolution of the recoil frame also twists the outer helical layer ofwire in a direction opposed to that in which it is applied to the coreby the action of the winding mechanism,

twist the shaft, after it i leaves the windmg head comprising the die.

:teasers ing and Winding mechanism, and the take-up mechanism, andcomprises the standards 85 and 86, respectively carrying the relativelyspaced pulleys 87 and 88 in tandem relation over which the fabricatedshaft is form-ed into a bight 89. n

The bights 84 and 89, in the shaft being fabricated, embrace the pulleys90 and 91 disposed at the opposite ends of the walking beam 7, whichis-pivoted at 93 a rock on the bracket 94 extending from the standard30,

and which is provided with the weight 95 longitudinally adjustablethereon to vary the force required to dran7 the shaft through thefabricating mechanism and thereby obtain the desired uniformity of thespacing of the strands being Wound thereon.

The take-up mechanism is provided `With the friction brake-drum 96,about which a friction brake-band 97 is coiled, said brakeband havingone end connected to the base of the standards 57 by the screw-eye 99.and the other end connected by means of the turnbuckle 100 to one end ofthe lever 101 which is pivoted at 102 to the base of the stand,- ards57, the other end of said lever 101. being connected by the link 103 tothe end of the ,beam 7 on which the pulley 91 is carried. `When thepulley 91 is raised the outer, or

right hand, end of the lever 101 is depressed and the brake-band 97 isdrawn more closely into engagement with the drum 96, thereby increasingthe frictional resistance to the rotation of the take-up reel 55, andcorrespondingly diminishing the effective driving action of the flangedcollars 63 and 66, on the friction discs 61-62- ,This reduction in fdriving effecten the reel will result in a corresponding decrease of'the draft, or aXial movement, in the shaft Which is being wound up onthe take up spool. lWhen the pulley 91 falls the braking action of theband 97 on the drum 96 is diminished, and the effective drivving actionof the frictionally engaged elements 61-65-3, and {S2- 66, and theresultant axial pull on the product being spooled, is

correspondingly increased. My invention is advantageous in thatanyinequalities vor irregularities in the forces acting on the shaft orcable and its components as a whole, or any iaclr of uniformity in thediameter ofthe Wire rbeing Wound which may tend to produce an irregularinterproiiimate spacing of the coiied strands, are automaticailycompensated for, and the irregularities of spacing which might resultfrom such causes are so taken up. absorbed or otherwise eliminated as tonullify the effects of varying tension in or on the component elementsof the fabricated product, and produce a shaft Whose surface appearanceis substans tially uniform throughout; a resultwhich is not attainable,(when commercial Wire is used), with any such form of fixed pitch oruniform feed machine as is disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,671,951.

I do not desire to limit my invention to the p recise detailsv ofconstruction and arrangement as herein set forth, as it is obvious thatvarious modifications may be made therein without departing from theessential features of my invention as defined in thc appended claims. n

Having thus .described my invention, I

claim:

1. A machine of the class described, comprising mechanism for feedingand ceiling a plurality of strands about a core to forni a strandedshaft, means rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the fabricatedproduct, to contemporaneously rotate said shaft about its axis While itis progressing longitudinally, and compensating means engaging at onepoint with the said core and at another point With the said shaft, andadapted to maintain a substantially uniform difference in tensionbetween said parts during the fabrication.

2. ln a machine for fabricating a flexibleI shaft, the combinationWithmcans arranged to dispense a core, of means arranged to formstranded convolutions about said core, means for progressing thefabricated product longitudinally, means arranged to control saidprogressing means, a pivoted compensating beam having means arranged toengage said core and said shaft, and means-connecting vsaid beam Withsaid controlling means whereby changes of force necessary to pullthecore from the core-dispensing mechanism cause actuation of thecontrolling means to effect corresponding changes in pull by theshaftprogressing means.

3. lin a machine of the class described` the combination With mechanismfor fabricating a stranded shaft comprising a core and Windin gs, ofdrawingbut mechanism for said shaft, means arranged to control the speedof said drawing-out mechanism, a pivoted compensating beam having meansarranged to engagev said core and windings and to rock in accordance Wihirregularities of force 'tending to change the progressive movement ofsaid shaft elements, and pivoted means connecting said beam with saidcontroiling means whereby the rocking of said beam actuates saidcontrolling means 'to effect actuation of said drawing-out mechanism topro' i variation in the forces tending to progress the shaft the regionof fabrication.

e. '"l'n a machine of the cias descriheffi, the

rra

around the core, and

the position of sembled for y shaft, and including core-dispensingmechacombination of mechanism for winding a layer of wire on a core,with compensating mechanism engaging said layer and said core onopposite sides of the point of windin-g and acting to prevent anysubstantial inequalities in the interproxiinate spacingof the woundstrands.

5. In a machine for the manufacture of iiexible shafting which comprisesa core and a superimposed helically wound layer of wire, the combinationof a winding head, means for feeding the core thereto, and means forwithdrawing the liexible shaft therefrom, with a compensating mechanismengaging said core and said shaft on opposite sides of said head andadapted to maintain a constant difference in tension between the saidcore and the said shaft at its points of engagement therewith.

(E. ln a machine for the manufacture of flexible shafting of thecharacter herein described, the combination of core .dispensing means,winding means for twisting a helix around the core, and shaft take-upmeans; a movable beam around one end of which the core is looped, andaround the other end of which the shaft is looped; and an adjustableweight tending to move the beam.

7. ln a machine for the manufacture of flexible shafting'of thecharacter herein described, the combination of core dispensing means,windng means for twisting a helix shaft take-up means; a movable beamaround one end of which the core is looped, and around the other end ofwhich the shaft is looped; an adjustable weight tending to move thebeam, and a brake upon a shaft take-up meansv the braking action ofwhich is dependent upon the beam;

8. A machineof the class described, coinprising mechanism for winding ahelical laycr of wire on a central core, and having a take-up mechanismarranged to draw the composite body forward during fabrication, andcompensating means engaging with the said core and the said layer onopposite sides of the point of winding, and operative to eff ect theformation of the said layer with a 'substantially uniform clearancebetween the coiled strands.

9. A machine ofthe class described, com-v prising a plurality of units`cooperatively asfabricating a stranded flexible nism, strand-feedingand winding mechanism, drawing-outl mechanism, and compensating means,pivotally mounted and spanning said strand-feeding and winding mechanismand arranged to effect the ceiling of the strands with a'substantiallyuniformclearance. 4

10. A machine of the class described, comprising a plurality of unitscooperatively assembled for fabricating a stranded flexible shaft, andincluding core-dispensing mechaieeaova rnism, and drawing-out mechanism,the corcdispensing mechanism and strand-feeding and winding mechanismbeing arranged for relative movement about the axis of the shaft andcompensating means engaging with the core and the shaft on oppositesides of the said winding mechanism and acting to produce an axialtension in said shaft at the point of winding which is in excess of thetension in the core by a substantially uniform amount.

11. A machine of the class described, comprising mechanism for feedinga'core and winding a plurality of strand wires thereabout to form aflexible shaft, means rotatable about thel longitudinalaxis of saidshaft to relatively twist the core after said strand ^wires are woundthereon, a take-up mechapense a core, of means arranged, to formstranded eonvolutions about said core, means for progressing thefabricated product longitudinally, means arranged to control saidprogressing means, a pivot-ed compensating beam arranged to engage saidcore and fabricated product, and means connecting said beam with saidcontrolling means whereby the pivoted movement of the beam regulates theaction of the pull exerted by the said progressing means.

13. A machine of the class described which comprises mechanism forwinding a plurality of helically disposed coils of wire about a centralcore, a take-up mechanism for spooling the fabricated product, acompensating draft mechanism engaging with said core and with said shafton opposite sides ofthe winding ymechanism, and connecting means betweensaid draft mechanism and said take-up mechanism foi` automaticallyvarying the speed of the latter in accordance with variations in tensionin the said shaft.

ln witness whereof, l have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of January,A. D. 1928.

ROBERT C. ANGELL.

caarnricara or CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,843,075. January 26, 1932.

ROBERT o. aNonLt.

lt is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specificationof the above numbered patent requiring correction as iollows: Page 1,line 48, before the word "in" insert i. e., line 50, for the syllable"spatial" read spacial, and -line 85, for "on" first occurrence read or;page 2, line 56, after the number "43" strike out the comma, line 83,for "flanges" read flange, line. 97, after the word "recoil" insert theword drum, and line 107, for "countershaft" read countershaft; page 3,line 20, for the article "a" read to, line 38, after the figure "7"insert a comma, line 44, for "take-up" read take up, after line 57,insert the following paragraph: It will be apparent that any variationin the frictional resistance to the movement of the pay-out spool 14,which tends to vary the tension in the core element i6, that is beingdrawn therefrom, will cause the pulley 90 to rise or fall, and that thismovement will produce a reciprocal depression or elevation of the pulley91 at the opposite end of the rocking beam 7. It will also be apparent,from the proceeding description, that this movement of the rocking beamwill vary the draft or pull on the fabricated product as it passes tothe take up unit 4; and that this draft or pull is in creased as andwhen the core tension is augmented, and vice versa. It is furtherobvious that under the normal and intended conditions of operation theforces acting on the opposite ends of the "walking" beam 7 are inequilibrium; and that the tension of the fabricated product, whichpasses around the pulley 91, must always exceed the tension in the corebody, which passes around the pulley 90, by an amount sufficient tosupport the unbalanced component of the adjustable weight 95 on the beam7. This difference in tension may be varied by positioning said weightat different distances from the pivot support 93 of the beam; but forany one setting the said difference will and must remain constant; andthe shaft will be progressed through the machine at such a rate of speedas to establish and maintain a substantially fixed and uniforminterproximal spacing or interspace relationship between the adjoiningor contiguous sides of the successive wires as they are applied to, andwound upon, the core bodyl by a uniform rate of rotation of the winding,unit 2.; and line 90, claim l, strike out the comma after "products";page 4, line 6, claim 4, for "interproximate" read interproximal, andline 37, claim 7, for "a" read the; and that the said Letters Patentshould be read with these corrections therein that the same may conformto the record' of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of September, A. D. 1932.

. M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

